07 — Compiler Architecture
Transform Phase
The Transform phase operates on the AST produced by Parse. It resolves all token reference chains, validates composition graphs, evaluates state machine declarations, applies constraint assertions, and performs semantic analysis. Transform is where most conformance validation occurs. Transform errors are the primary mechanism by which IDL enforces the rules declared in Foundation, Visual Doctrine, the Language System, the Token System, and the Component System.
Built-in Transform Operations
| Operation | Description | Error Type |
|---|---|---|
| Token chain resolution | Resolves all alias chains to concrete values; validates three-hop maximum. | Error |
| Tier reference validation | Validates that token references only reference permitted tiers. | Error |
| Slot graph analysis | Builds slot graph and validates acyclicity. | Error |
| State machine validation | Validates that all transition targets are declared states. | Error |
| Composition rule evaluation | Validates composition constraints against the slot graph. | Error |
| Density resolution | Resolves spatial token values for the target density level. | Warning (unsupported density) |
| Theme completeness | Validates that alternate themes cover all semantic token names. | Error |
Transform Phase Order
Built-in transforms run in a defined order. Plugin transforms run after all built-in transforms are complete. The order of built-in transforms is: import resolution → token chain resolution → tier reference validation → slot graph analysis → state machine validation → composition rule evaluation → density resolution → theme validation. This order ensures that each transform operates on a partially-validated AST and can rely on the results of preceding transforms.